Talen

The Compensation Culture: The Psychology Behind the Demands

Jun 27, 13 | 12:08 am

By feature writer Matt Shiells-Jones

It is almost unreservedly blatant to every business that operates today, that we live in what can only be described as a ‘Compensation Culture' — where every problem or issue can seemingly be resolved in the form of monetary compensation — but just why is this so and how can you as a business person understand and hopefully counteract this?

Keep Hotel Customers in a Virtuous Loyalty Loop Pt.1

Jun 24, 13 | 12:07 am

Have we all become promiscuous comparison shoppers, surfing to find the best deal? Indeed, recent studies have suggested a decline in consumer loyalty to travel brands[1]. But not so fast. Based on a recent Market Metrix study into the behaviors of travelers over the past 6 years, results revealed that customer loyalty[2] has increased 14.3% (from 56% to 66%). Loyalty increased in each and every year.

One reason why travelers have become more likely to return to previous hotels and casinos is because the guest experience is improving. As initially discussed in our ‘It's About the Experience' post, guests are giving higher ratings to "can-do attitude", "value for price", and "room cleanliness" compared to their evaluations in 2007. These three elements represent the areas that are most correlated with guest loyalty for this period, and they have all increased significantly since 2007.

Next Wave of Travellers Care Less about Luxury Hotel Bling

Jun 11, 13 | 12:05 am

By Kevin Brass

Luxury hotel executives know they have a problem.

A pillow menu, gold-plated bathroom fixtures and spacious rooms will not be enough to woo the next generation of the world's wealthiest clientele. They will be better traveled than their parents and grandparents, and much harder to please.

"The younger generation, who is 28 to 35 years of age, they will start traveling differently," said Marco P. Nijhof, chief executive of Yoo Hotels, a division of the London-based company co-founded by the designer Philippe Starck. "It's a whole different ballgame."

Designers are proposing everything from underwater hotels to high-tech enclaves that will use facial-recognition software to predict a guest's every whim. But some are moving in the opposite direction, creating simple hotels that they want to stand as works of art, allowing guests to escape from their hectic lives.

In his State of the Union address earlier this year, President Obama argued that 3-D printing could "revolutionize the way we make almost everything." His speech echoed a sentiment that has been gaining traction among entrepreneurs and techies for some time now.

Three-dimensional printing, also known as additive manufacturing, has been around since the late 1980s and has produced some exciting advances. Companies in the industry have printed aerospace parts, industrial manufacturing equipment, and even human stem cells. One company is working on a technique to print functioning human organs. Although all of this is promising, 3-D printing technology still has a long way to go.

The industry is poised to grow to $3 billion globally by 2018, up 56 percent from 2012, according to a study by the market research firm Global Industry Analysts. So far, big companies have dominated the sector.